


Cold

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 12:51:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17304977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: Ellie messes up and right away calls Jack to talk.





	Cold

**Author's Note:**

> For the Anon on Tumblr who requested it, I hope this was okay!

Ellie could feel the cold air wrap around her like a cold blanket. She could even feel it in her body as she stood there witnessing the confused and hurt look clear on Nick's face.

_ She _ had put it there.

“Ellie..” Nick said softly, the hurt even in his voice making her heart ache. 

“I'm sorry..I just-” She closed her eyes for a second before opening them again. “-I can't Nick.” She whispered.

He swallowed roughly before turning around and walking away without giving her another glance. His hunched shoulders told her everything.

A tear slid down her cheek that she quickly wiped away. 

What the hell was wrong with her? 

With shaking hands she took out her phone, a choked noise escaping her when she caught sight of her wallpaper. Nick was mid laugh with her hanging onto his back, a large grin on her face. It had been taken that night they went back to goat yoga, her friend Dawn who taught the class had secretly taken it. 

She sniffled and went to her contacts, calling the one person who could help her right now. 

“Hey Ellie.”

Ellie sniffled. “Jack-”

“Ellie are you okay?” Jack asked right away, worry coloring her tone.

“I..not really. Can I um come talk to you?”

“Of course. I can come to your place-”

“No!” Ellie quickly said, just flinching at the thought. Too many memories of Nick for her right now. “I'll come to you.”

She could practically hear Jack frowning. “Sure, I'll be here.”

Ellie got to Jack's apartment as soon as she could. She knew she looked like a mess with her still stained cheeks, wild hair from the wind, and slightly puffy eyes. 

Jack said nothing about her appearance as she led Ellie to the couch, handing her a cup of hot chocolate that thawed her insides but didn't make the cold go away. 

“I'm such an idiot.” She mumbled.

Jack sat on the coffee table in front of her. “You're far from being an idiot, Ellie. Wanna tell me what happened?”

She bit her lip. No one had known..but she had ruined it, hadn't she?

“Nick and I...we..we've been dating, or at least it was casual for the most part-” She sighed. “But Nick..he uh, he wanted it to be  _ more _ and I told him I couldn't.”

Jack grabbed the mug from her now shaking hands and placed it on the table. “You like Nick, right?”

Ellie nodded. “Yes! I have for a while- which is why I don't understand why I said I  _ couldn't _ .”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

Jack reached for her hands, cradling them in her own. “Is Nick your first relationship since Qasim?”

Ellie froze for a second at Jack suddenly saying his name. “Yes. What does that have to do with anything? Qasim died two years ago.” 

“Ellie..” Jack said softly. “You may be past a lot of the hurt, but it seems to me you still have the fear.”

She frowned confused. “Fear?”

“Of losing someone else you love.” Ellie swallowed roughly at the word  _ love _ . A word that had crossed her mind lately. She had been catching herself watching Nick and wondering if that was what she was feeling for him. It felt different than before. Jack continued talking. “Fear of having to go through the pain all over again. Nick takes risks every day of the job, making it a greater chance of losing him and that scared you. And so to protect yourself, you told him you couldn't do it.” 

Ellie blinked. It  _ did _ make a lot of sense. 

“So I..told Nick no because I'm afraid of feeling the pain of losing someone else which is a bigger possibility with Nick.” Ellie said out loud. 

Jack nodded. “Exactly.”

“What do I do then?” Ellie asked softly. 

“You have to decide Ellie. Would you rather have Nick and take the risk or would you rather not have Nick at all but still possibly lose him? Because sweetie no matter which option you choose, there's  _ always _ going to be that risk.” 

Ellie jumped up from the couch.

“I-I have to go.”

Jack grinned. “Go on.”

“Thanks Jack!” She shouted as she ran out the door. 

* * *

Ellie was breathing heavily as she knocked, practically pounded on, Nick's door. 

“What do you-”

His eyes widened. “Ellie..”

“I'm sorry! I was  _ so _ stupid to say I couldn't when I  _ can _ and I  _ want _ to. I talked to Jack and she told me I said no because I'm afraid of getting hurt again like with Qasim and how since it'll be a bigger risk with you actually being in the field, I freaked out and said no to protect myself-”

Nick yanked her forward, crashing their lips together effectively cutting off her rambling rant. Ellie whimpered against him, gripping his shirt tightly afraid that he'd walk away again. He put his arm around her waist, pulling her into the apartment before shutting the door. 

“So does this mean-” Nick whispered.

Ellie nodded. “Yes. I want a completely  _ real _ no casual relationship with you Nick.” 

He grinned before pulling her in for another kiss. Ellie sighed happily letting herself melt into him as he slid her jacket off her. She shivered when his fingers touched bare skin. 

“Does this mean we have to take things more slowly?” Nick mumbled, his breath ghosting over her face.

“God no.”

Her response made him chuckle, their lips locked once more a second later. 

All the cold in her body seemed to melt away.


End file.
